Rochester Hills — To the very end of his life, Fr. A. Frank Pollie dedicated his priesthood to his parents.

“This was an answer to their prayers, and he hoped that he fulfilled their prayer that they had for him to be a priest,” said Fr. Pollie’s friend Deacon Richard Hulan, who had worked with Fr. Pollie at St. Irenaeus Parish in Rochester Hills.

Deacon Hulan said Fr. Pollie “always emphasized how ‘I want nothing more than to be able to say Mass, hear confessions, anoint the sick and be here for the people I serve.’”

Fr. Pollie died Jan. 30 at the age of 73.

Deacon Hulan said the priest had a good sense of humor and enjoyed practical jokes, and that he “was not afraid to laugh at his own idiosyncrasies or things that he did.” He described their first meeting in 2001, in which Fr. Pollie had slipped and fallen on an icy sidewalk.

“Laying there on the sidewalk, he said this is one way you know it’s a humble pastor,” remembered Deacon Hulan.

Deacon Hulan said the “A” in Fr. Pollie’s name stood for “Andrew,” though he always preferred to go by “Frank.”

St. Irenaeus head usher Bill Grogan said Fr. Pollie was a member of the Knights of Columbus Fr. Baumgartner Council 5452, and “loved to play golf.”

Sheryl Van Fleteren, bookkeeper at St. Anne Parish in Ortonville, remembered Friday staff lunches with Fr. Pollie when he was pastor there (1992-2000), and fellow parishioner Julie Neal remembered Fr. Pollie’s “beautiful singing voice.”

Neal, a cantor, would often sing with Fr. Pollie during ceremonies like the sprinkling rite because despite his “deep, rich baritone,” he didn’t like to sing by himself.

“I think of Frank and smile,” Neal added.

“He loved life, he enjoyed life, it was a gift,” said Deacon Hulan. “He enjoyed it to the fullest and wanted everybody else to, too.”

Born in Detroit on April 5, 1941, Fr. Pollie was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit on June 3, 1967.

His first assignment was as associate pastor of St. Raphael Parish, Garden City, in 1967, a position he held until 1973. He became pastor of St. Matthew Parish, Detroit, from 1974-76, followed by time as associate pastor of St. Patrick Parish, White Lake, in 1976. From 1976-80 he served as pastor of St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Lake Orion, later joining the formation team at Christ the Redeemer Parish, Lake Orion, from 1980-83.

Fr. Pollie served as pastor of Our Lady of Victory Parish, Northville, from 1983-92, then as pastor of St. Anne Parish, Ortonville, from 1992-2000. He was pastor of St. Irenaeus Parish from 2000-11.

Fr. Pollie also served as an auditor of the Archdiocese of Detroit’s metropolitan tribunal from 1981-82.

Fr. Pollie was preceded in death by his parents, Andrew and Louise Pollie, and is survived by his brother, Donald, (Mary); his sisters, Dolores Tabor and Suzanne Arnaiz; as well as several nieces and nephews.

A funeral Mass was Feb. 4 at St. Irenaeus Parish. Interment is at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Southfield.

Condolences may be sent to Donald Pollie, 24 Jefferson Lane, Kittery, ME, 03904. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Anne’s Care and Share Fund (churchofstanne.org/christian-service), or to Oxford-Orion FISH, P.O. Box 732, Lake Orion, MI 48361.